


Left, left, right

by justholdinghands



Category: The X-Files RPF
Genre: Boxers, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 03:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6686893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justholdinghands/pseuds/justholdinghands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One day before A Streetcar Named Desire opening night, Gillian needs to de-stress.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Left, left, right

One day before A Streetcar Named Desire opening night…

As he’s spooning her in their bed, he can feel her body tense. He tried to stay away from her all day, knowing she needs space when she gets nervous. The play starts tomorrow, and her stress is at its peak right now. She can be really sensible and susceptible to this kind of situation, and he knows it too well. Less than half an hour ago, when he entered his bedroom, she was laying on her side, her back facing him. She didn’t say a word when he laid behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist. He wants to say something reassuring, or just kiss her shoulder and whatever to let her know he’s here to support her, but seeing how tensed and nervous she is, he’s pretty sure she’d get rid of him if he’s too insisting. He sighs heavily and tightened his embrace.

“Don’t say it.” she says coldly.

“Say what?”

“Everything’s gonna be fine.” She pauses a second, and keeps going as he doesn’t answer. “I know that’s what you were about to say, and I don’t want to hear it. You don’t know if it’s gonna be fine or not. So don’t say it.”

“I wasn’t about to say that.” he lies. “I know what you’re doing.” He pauses, and even if he doesn’t see her face, he can feel her brows raising. “You try to start a fight for no reason, just to release the pressure.”

There’s a heavy sigh coming from her nostrils followed by a long blank. “Look, I’m sorry.” she says sincerely. “I don’t want to be harsh on you, but it’s so nerve racking right now for me, I’m not even sure I can do this, or why I do that to myself.”

He knows this is a phase. Of course, she can do this, and the reason why she’s doing this, is because she loves it. She loves being on a stage, she loves acting and being into a character, especially this character. He just needs to find a way to remind her.

“Baby, you’re too tensed. You need to relax and breathe. Lay on your stomach, let me give you a back rub.” He tries to turn her over, but she resists.

“I know exactly how your back rubs end up, and I’m not in the mood, Dave.” She sounds almost disappointed of herself.

“Okay. Then I have another idea. Get up and put a shirt and a pair of shorts on.” He jumps out of the bed and switches the light on, making her face hide under the pillow.

“What the fuck, David. Just leave me alone! I don’t wanna go anywhere.” She complains, her voice hushed by the pillow.

“Come on! You won’t sleep anyway, will you?” He pulls on her hand and forces her to sit on the bed. “I promise you won’t regret it. And if you do, I’ll give you the back rub of your life. Come on!”

He hands her a shirt and a black yoga pants from her drawer, and she reluctantly gets dressed without a sound, except a groan of anger and disapproval.

“Where are we going?” she asks, finally standing on her feet.

“Boxing.”

“What? I don’t wanna go boxing, David!” she screams, her voice getting an octave higher when she’s upset and surprised.

“Oh come on! Like you don’t want to kick my pretty ass, right now? Go ahead,” he opens the door and waits for her to step outside the apartment. “I’m sure we’ll find some kids-sized gloves at the gym.”

She strongly slaps his arm after his joke. A slight smile starts to draw on her face, letting him know she’s pleased with his idea.

“Hey! Keep that for the ring!”

-

It’s late and fortunately, the gym is empty. It smells like leather and perspiration, but after a few seconds inside it, they accustom to the scent. David looks confident and comfortable in this place. He guides her through the elliptical trainers and treadmills and they find themselves in the boxing room. A soft light automatically lights up when they enter. There’re three rings in the middle, and a bunch of punching-bags hung on the ceiling. The whole room is surrounded by mirrors.

“Come with me,” he says, pulling her hand to walk towards one of the rings.

There’s a dozen of red boxing gloves on the floor. He searches for the smallest ones, and takes her right hand to put it on.

“Someone has already sweat in it! That’s disgusting!” Her mouth distorts in disgust.

“Sorry princess! But I’m not gonna let you hit me without gloves. This ain’t a girl’s fight. This is serious business. Left hand.” he orders, and she obeys and gives him her free hand, smiling and shaking her head. “Move up.” he says, pulling up the last rope of the ring and helps her get up.

He joins her skillfully and puts on his own gloves in no time. She looks shy and impressed. Her gloves are almost the size of her arms. The floor swells beneath her feet at each of his steps. She knows he won’t hurt her, but she can’t help taking a few steps back as much as he approaches her. He jumps on the spot, on one foot, then another, raising his guard in front of his face and gasps exuberantly.

“Bring it on, lil’ Tyson!” he teases, and slightly hits her shoulder.

“You really want me to punch you?”

He steps back, making room for her and nods. She walks towards him and starts to box, failing to touch him. He dodges her slow blows easily. But his pleasant smile and the fact that he lowers his guard seems to piss her off and she speeds up, putting more intensity and rage in her moves.

“Yeah! That’s what I want, babe!” he grunts, still avoiding her fists. “Come on, catch me!”

“If you’d stop moving, that would be easier!” she screams, already out of breath.

“Who said boxing was easy?” he asks, raising his guard. “Punch my gloves, babe!” He stays within her arms, waiting for her glove to land on him. He has to admit that her blow is stronger than what he’d expected, and she even makes him take a few steps back. “Yeah! That’s my girl!” he encourages her. “Keep going. Left, left, right.”

She does as he says, throwing her fists onto his gloves with all her strengths. The more he repeats “left, left, right,” the stronger she punches him. Her face is focused, her jaw clenched and her cheeks flushed. Her blond locks stick on her forehead, and she keeps blowing on one of them to stop it from falling in her eyes.

“Come on baby, left, left, right,” he repeats one more time.

“That’s not funny! You’re not even fighting!” she says, keeping knocking his fists.

“I’m not gonna fight with you!” he chuckles. “You need to be in one piece tomorrow!”

“Oh, C’mon Duchovny! You’re not afraid to lose against a woman, are you?” she teases, and purposefully misses his gloves. Her fist strongly lands on his stomach.

“Hey! Two can play this game, lil’ Frasier!” He slightly hits her glove to keep her at a good distance.

“Ha! Come on! I’m not afraid, I can kick your ass any time, Duchov’” she giggles.

Her moves are faster and her blows stronger. She’s really enjoying herself, maybe a little too much actually. He struggles to block her punches. He knows his chest and stomach will be sore tomorrow and he may have a few bruises, but watching her having fun and relaxing this way is worth every pain. Soon, two hands aren’t enough anymore to ward off her strikes. She hits his arms, his breast, his ribs and when he’s busy dodging a punch to his groin, she surprises him with a strong uppercut on his chin. He lands heavily against the ropes, screaming a loud “ouch” of pain and raises his fists to stop her punching him again.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” she says, half laughing, half worried.

“That’s a K.O, baby! You win.” He replaces his jaw with his glove and chuckles. “I think my ass got kicked enough for tonight! How do you feel?”

“So much better! Thank you, David. That was a brilliant idea, but you’re sure you’re okay?” She asks tenderly, putting her gloves on his chest.

“I see stars, but I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. I knew the risks before we started this.”

She wraps her arm around his waist to help him get out of the ropes. He totters a little bit, still giddy with the shock, and finally gets down the ring with her help.

“You should take a good shower, sweetie. You’ll feel better after. And you stinks, anyway.” she jokes, sniffing him. She takes off her gloves and helps him with his. “Come with me, I saw the lockers this way. And I think I owe you a back rub.” she smiles affectionately.

“That wasn’t really the deal,” he chuckles and follows her. “And you know the lockers aren’t mixed, right?”

“I think we can make an exception, tonight.”

He smiles. “Your kind of back rub, or my kind of back rub, though?”

She smiles.


End file.
